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Neon Shadows - Memories of Sin

In the shadow-soaked alleys of a city where memories are both currency and weapon, burned-out detective Maxwell Hartwell is known for his unique immunity to memory extraction, a trait that marks him as both an asset and an outcast. When enigmatic Elena Voss approaches him to investigate the murder of Victor Kane, a top memory trader renowned for his ruthless ambition, Max is drawn into a web of deceit that permeates the highest echelons of society. Max's investigation leads him deep into the underbelly of the memory trade, where human experiences are bought and sold to the highest bidder, altering personalities and histories at will. As he navigates this dangerous landscape, he's forced to contend with his former partner, Detective Sarah Lim, who walks a thin line between law enforcement and moral compromise. Throughout his journey, Max is aided by the Archivist, a secretive figure who trades in illicit memories, providing Max with information that cannot be obtained by conventional means. As Max delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a disturbing truth: Victor Kane's death is merely the surface of a much larger conspiracy that threatens to topple the precarious balance of power within the city. His investigation reveals a sinister plot to control the memory market, orchestrated by figures that blur the line between friend and foe. Haunted by fragments of his own inaccessible past, Max must navigate through layers of betrayal and manipulation, confronting painful truths about himself and those he once trusted. The closer he gets to solving the murder, the more entangled he becomes in a struggle for power that will define the future of memory itself. With the city on the brink of chaos, Max is faced with a choice that will not only determine his own fate but also the fate of a society where memories can be rewritten at will. As alliances shift and secrets are unearthed, Max must decide whether to continue protecting a world that has forsaken him or forge a new path that could lead to redemption—or ruin.

Arron_Alderson · Sci-fi
Not enough ratings
343 Chs

Chapter 333: Darkness and Dawn

The city was a symphony of sirens and shadows, the kind of place where dreams came to die and nightmares were born. Max Hastings moved through the streets like a ghost, his mind focused on the task at hand. Kozlov was in custody, but the rot ran deeper. The mayor was in hiding, and rumors of a new player were already surfacing, a specter in the criminal underworld who thrived on chaos.

Max's destination was an old warehouse on the waterfront, a relic of the city's industrial past now repurposed for less savory activities. His contact, a low-level informant named Vinnie, had hinted at a meeting that could blow the lid off the whole operation. But in this city, trust was a currency often spent and rarely earned.

He parked his car in a shadowed alcove and approached the warehouse, the night air thick with the scent of brine and decay. The door was slightly ajar, an invitation and a warning all in one. Max slipped inside, his footsteps echoing in the cavernous space.